UN researchers project that data centers will use twice as much power and water in 2030 as they did in 2025. They point to AI as the main driver. The analysis frames energy supply, not just chips or software, as a key limit on how far computing can scale.
Every AI answer, search, and streamed service runs through a data center. If their power and water use doubles by 2030, that draws on the same grids and water supplies people rely on at home. It means AI growth now has a measurable cost in electricity bills, local water tables, and emissions planning — not just in code.
✦ AI's next bottleneck isn't chips. It's electricity and water.